‘There’s a limit to the budget’ – Mahama explains phased Big Push projects

President John Dramani Mahama has explained that the government’s Big Push road projects will be implemented in phases due to budgetary constraints, stressing that it is not financially possible to undertake all outstanding road projects across the country at the same time.

President Mahama made the remarks on the first day of his two-day Resetting Ghana Tour of the Upper West Region while inspecting the Wa–Han Big Push road project.

According to the President, the government has adopted a prioritisation strategy to address Ghana’s infrastructure needs within the limits of available resources.

“Everybody thinks that we can do all their roads at once. We cannot do that. There’s a limit to the budget that we have,” President Mahama said.

President Mahama disclosed that the government is currently implementing the first phase of the Big Push programme while preparations are underway to scope subsequent phases.

“And so there’s Big Push Phase 1, we’re scoping Big Push Phase 2, and there’ll be a Big Push Phase 3,” he stated.

He explained that the phased approach would allow the government to manage its available resources while progressively addressing road infrastructure needs in different parts of the country.

The President said several roads had already been identified for development and would be tackled as the various phases of the programme are implemented.

President Mahama said the government had decided to prioritise major trunk roads, particularly routes connecting regional capitals, before turning greater attention to feeder roads.

He explained that improving the main road network would provide residents of surrounding communities with better access to major routes while creating a foundation for the subsequent development of feeder roads.

“As we go, we’ll move from the trunk roads to the other feeder roads that link up with the trunk roads,” he said.

He added that completing the major trunk roads would ensure that residents could easily connect from their constituencies and communities to the main road network.

“But it’s good to do the trunk roads so that at least everybody can come from this constituency, join the main road, and have a good ride. After the trunk road is done, then we can now do the feeder roads into the communities and the towns,” the President explained.

During his inspection of the Wa–Han project, President Mahama expressed confidence in the quality of work being undertaken.

He said he expected to return to the region the following year to commission the completed road.

“We’ll be here next year to come and commission the road, and I’m sure that the quality of the road will be good,” he said.

President Mahama further disclosed that the road would eventually receive asphalt surfacing from Wa to Bolgatanga after the completion of the double-surface dressing.

“After we do the double-surface dressing, we will then seal the whole road with asphalt from Wa to Bolga, so that at least we know that for the next 30 years, the road will last and will require just very little maintenance,” he said.

The President’s comments highlight the government’s strategy of using phased implementation and prioritisation to address Ghana’s extensive road infrastructure needs amid budgetary limitations.

The Big Push programme is expected to remain a key component of the government’s infrastructure agenda as it seeks to improve road connectivity, facilitate movement between communities and regional capitals, and support economic activity across the country.